F1 Season Ends: Tears all around
Ah the F1 season has been over. After wanting Alonso to win, we turned into a group of Schumacher sympathisers as we were cheering him on during the Brazilian GP. I think we didn’t really care who won. Its a shame, but all good things must come to an end. I certainly have loved to hate him throughout his career – I now have nobody (good) to hate.
I did predict halfway through the race that a lot of people would be crying after this grand prix:
- Massa cos he won (and he’s a baby)
- Alonso cos he won the championship
- Schumacher cos he’s sad about leaving
- Jean Todt cos he’s a softie
- Flavio’s armpits.
- Schumacher fans like Paul Robertson
Anyway his drive from pretty much last place was immense. I have to say not many others could do that. (Montoya lost his front wing 2002 and clawed his way back up but I don’t think it was as good). We spent pretty the whole race going through scenarios of what-ifs and who would end up winning. The presentation from ITV by Martin Brundle to Schumacher was a bit awkward. It seems like they still don’t know how to act towards each other. However not as funny as Martin Brundle interviewing Kimi Raikonnen. It did pretty much sum up how much Kimi cares about other people and things, when MB asked him what he had been up to during the Pele-Schumacher presentation:
I was taking a shit
Amazingly Montoya still finished 8th in the championship despite missing the last 7 races. Shall be sad to see him gone. I recently found old videos on YouTube of him overtaking Shuey in his second race in Brazil 2001 and nearly won, overtaking Ralf and Kimi in Canada 2002, overtaking Kimi in Germany 2002 – fantastic stuff which hopefully someone else will emulate in the future.
Anyway sad to see Schumacher go, unfortunately Alonso was the only young-gun who was successful in beating the greatest driver of all time (it does hurt when I say that). I would have liked to see Kimi beat Schumacher. Unfortunately now there aren’t really any greats in F1. I don’t find the prospect of young guns like Kubica and Kovalienen that stimulating. I hope next season is good.
Nathaniel Ho
22 Oct 2006 20:23
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Tags: F1 Motorsport
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I always like to insert “statistically” into that phrase. There are so many ways of measuring it, and Schumacher has raced in the safest era, with the greatest number of races per year, the greatest number of points per finishing position, clearly the fastest car for at least four of his titles and, uniquely, team orders whenever his team-mate got too close (which was rare – unlike with, say, Senna/Prost/Mansell/Piquet). Not to say he isn’t among the greats.
I don’t agree that there aren’t any greats in F1. Some of the drives Alonso has put in over the years have been mesmerising (and he’s still younger than Schuey was when he won his first championship). The most memorable of Alonso’s drives were Spain, Suzuka and Shanghai this year, where Michael and he were just in a different league to the rest of the field, driving away from everyone and pushing to the absolute limit.
James Allen, post-race commentary: “Bursting on to the scene, moving to the Renault team – which used to be Benetton – and winning back-to-back championships… [Alonso’s] career so far has been an exact mirror of Schumacher’s”. (Followed, less than a minute later, by “We will never see anyone like [Schumacher].” James Allen’s a tw*t though, isn’t he?).
Raikkonen has also put in some superb drives throughout his career, given his equipment. Rosberg is still very young and will develop for sure – fastest lap in his first race, in a Williams, is extremely impressive. Unfortunately, without big numbers next to their names, most of them will be ignored by the British media in favour of huge pressure on Hamilton and Button (both of whom are also extremely talented).
23 Oct 2006, 09:30
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